Computerized wagering games have largely replaced traditional mechanical wagering game machines such as slot machines, and are rapidly being adopted to implement computerized versions of games that are traditionally played live such as poker and blackjack. These computerized games provide many benefits to the game owner and to the gambler, including greater reliability than can be achieved with a mechanical game or human dealer, more variety, sound, and animation in presentation of a game, and a lower overall cost of production and management.
The elements of computerized wagering game systems are in many ways the same as the elements in the mechanical and table game counterparts in that they must be fair, they must provide sufficient feedback to the game player to make the game fun to play, and they must meet a variety of gaming regulations to ensure that both the machine owner and gamer are honest and fairly treated in implementing the game. Further, they must provide a gaming experience that is at least as attractive as the older mechanical gaming machine experience to the gamer, to ensure success in a competitive gaming market.
Computerized wagering games do not rely on the dealer or other game players to facilitate game play and to provide an entertaining game playing environment, but rely upon the presentation of the game and environment generated by the wagering game machine itself. Incorporation of audio and video features into wagering games to present the wagering game, to provide help, and to enhance the environment presented are therefore important elements in the attractiveness and commercial success of a computerized wagering game system. It is not uncommon for audio voices to provide instruction and help, and to provide commentary on the wagering game being played. Music and environmental effects are also played through speakers in some wagering game systems to enhance or complement a theme of the wagering game. These sounds typically accompany video presentation of the wagering game on a screen, which itself often includes animation, video, and three-dimensional graphics as part of presentation of the wagering game.
Wagering game machines can be installed in a variety of environments, from noisy casinos or other wagering game establishments to quiet cafes or exclusive gaming areas. The volume of sound produced by a wagering game is desirably adjustable to compensate for the environmental noise present, and is typically set as a master volume level that is some percentage of the full system volume. The system volume is the full volume the machine is capable of producing, while the master volume is an adjustable volume level that can be used to reduce wagering game sounds to some percentage of the available system volume.
But, in some instances it is not desirable to have sounds subject to the master volume setting. For example, when a jackpot occurs and a slot attendant is needed to confirm and pay out the jackpot, there is typically no cause to limit the volume or attention drawn by the slot machine. Similarly, when a tilt condition occurs such as when a machine malfunctions, a door opens, or another problem occurs, it may not be desirable to restrict the volume of a tilt sound to the volume specified by the master volume.
It is therefore desired to be able to control volume for some events independent of a master volume level.